Daimh - Stopped in Our Tracks

In 2019, the iconic Scottish super group Daimh undertook an ambitious project: recording a track at every venue they were planning to pass by, collecting new material for an album. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 situation slowed down their plans.

So, waiting to resume their activities, they released Stopped in Our Tracks, an EP that contains the only three tracks they have managed to record so far, the result of their trips to Biggar, Washington and Glenfinnan.

Ellen MacDonald’s crystal clear voice delivers the lyrics of the two Gaelic songs on this release. Domhnaill an Dannsair is structured as a classic waulking song whilst the more gleeful Oran eile Do’n Phrionnsa closes the EP in cheerful mood. Triangle Reels is the only instrumental track, a warm sounding, moderately paced set of tunes on low whistle and fiddle, and a delightful bridge between the two songs.

Despite the absence of Angus MacKenzie’s vibrant piping, everyone that has come across their music can immediately tell that this is a work by Daimh, showing the two most distinctive aspects of their art: the enveloping arrangements in which they dress up their songs and tunes, and their ability to always find the perfect balance between sophisticated ornamentation and melodic expression.

After almost three decades at the forefront of British folk music, this internationally appreciated band seems to enjoy a fairly relaxed approach to this project as the listener basks in the genuine atmospheres they create, and the gentle, yet enticing musical landscapes to be savoured many times.